You probably understand pretty well just how expensive medicine can be in the United States and even in other countries. Even curing the simplest illnesses or injuries can cost tens of thousands of dollars. This is unacceptable and for a lot of people, it is a price tag that is impossible to pay. No matter where you go, no matter how many second opinions you get, you still have to pay that huge price tag.
Fortunately, there is an alternative that is much more inexpensive. Of course, I am talking about telemedicine services.
Obviously, after you or someone close to you is diagnosed with a certain illness, it is normal that you would want a second opinion. It is also normal to look for a hospital that is willing to provide a much smaller price tag for the healing and recovery process. Well, telemedicine primary care might be what you are looking for.
It allows nurses, doctors, and all kinds of other specialists in the world of medicine to communicate with patients through the Internet.
If a certain injury or illness can be diagnosed or analyze visually and with a description of symptoms, is there really a need for a doctor to be physically present with the patient? Well, it seems like there is no need for such physical presence, which is why so many doctors have started these telemedicine services.
If you simply are unable to visit a doctor, you will probably want to have access to the services, but you do not know which ones you should pick. To help you with that, I decided to write this article and tell you about the best websites/apps I could find that offer such services.
1. Cleveland Clinic MyConsult
The Cleveland Clinic is a medical center that is almost 100 years old. Obviously, a hundred years ago, they did not have any kind of telemedicine services, but today, it is an entirely different story.
The hospital campus itself is huge and Cleveland Clinic has more than 67,000 employees across the globe. Just imagine the idea that you have access to all those different doctors with just a press of a button from the comfort of your own home. If you ever feel too ill or if you are severely injured and you are unable to move, you can get a diagnosis from the medical staff of Cleveland Clinic MyConsult.
Although, the diagnosis time is somewhere around 10 to 14 business days, which is not exactly the best on this list. But, if you are in no rush and you just need a second opinion, this might be your best bet.
2. DoctorSpring
Compared to most of the other options in this article, this is a pretty new company that offers telemedicine. DoctorSpring was formed somewhere around 2024 and has been running with full force since then.
However, just because it is newer, it does not make it bad. In fact, it might be completely opposite. They have learned from their competition and have managed to build the number one rated panel and second opinion platform.
With a lineup of amazing specialists, experts, and doctors, you will always get great consultation. They support live education with patients 24/7. So, no matter what time it is, no matter where you are located, you can give DoctorSpring a call and someone will be there to help you and give you that second opinion that you need.
You will get that second opinion in just 12 to 24 hours, although, sometimes it can be even faster than that. Keep in mind, DoctorSpring will not provide you with a direct medical diagnosis, but they will provide you with a very helpful device regarding your symptoms, prescriptions, and your previous diagnosis.
3. Teladoc
This is probably the most popular and the largest, which started the trend of using mobile communication to help patients. It was founded somewhere around 2002 and it has been growing for these past 15 years.
I think it is pretty obvious that Teladoc will continue growing the next several years or decades, considering that telemedicine is becoming widely accepted around the world.
Since they are the company that jumpstarted this industry, it makes sense that they are a reasonable option today. They were quite fast, they are reliable, and thanks to their very optimized application for both iOS and Android, the entire experience is quite smooth and easy.
Most importantly, Teladoc has very experienced and skilled physicians, pediatricians, immunologists, cardiologists, and hundreds of other doctors or other experts in the medical field.
From what we have seen from different reviews, users of the application claim that they get a response from the company after just a few hours. That is quite fast.
4. Partners Healthcare
Another newer option on the market that can provide you with the second opinion that you are looking for. The consultations start somewhere around $575, but you can also get a review for your previous diagnosis for less. It depends on what kind of documents you have and what exactly you want them to tell you.
You can get a response from Partners Healthcare after about 10 business days or sometimes even less.
You also have the option to choose your doctor. Of course, they have a variety of specialists and experts, so you can choose anyone you want. Make sure you do your research on the doctor before you make the decision.
5. Doctor on Demand
A very simple to use application that is available on Apple phones and Android phones. This app can get you in contact with a healthcare professional to provide you with medical help in just a few minutes.
These visits and consultations can cost you somewhere around $75 or more, it depends on what kind of diagnosis you are looking for.
Fortunately, Doctor on Demand even accepts different health insurance plans which I believe is always a plus for these types of services.
There are probably hundreds of other companies that provide telemedicine services, but I believe that these five I mentioned are probably the best ones you can use right now.